by Jade Thorn
Only, Melody couldn’t bring herself to do it.
She really was a monster.
Nick sat there silently, waiting for more, but she could give him nothing. “Can we please just do this. I need to heal, and then I need to study. I’ve missed two weeks of classes, I’ll never get to the top at this rate.”
The guilt was eating away at her soul. Melody tried to kid herself that by surviving, she was saving Dean from her aunt. Except, she was about to bond Asher, wasn’t she? So, it wasn’t one shifter that she was condemning, it was two.
Nick caught her hands in his, holding them to his chest. “Mel, you’ve been hit by a heavy curse, you needed that time to recover. We’ll get you caught up, just give yourself time.”
His words were so sweet, but she couldn’t let herself be lulled by them. She had to stay strong. Melody had to keep her distance for now, she needed to push them away. It would hurt them in the interim, but it would save their lives. She couldn’t afford to bond any more of them, not until she’d worked out a solution to her aunt’s spells.
“My name is Melody,” she snapped, and he jerked backward as if she’d slapped him.
Feeling worse than ever, she sighed. She could keep her distance without being a bitch. She owed them that much and more. They had kept her alive for two weeks, studied with her all hours of the day and night, and helped her to finish her history class in half a year. She could hold them at arm’s length and do it with grace and kindness, it was the least she could do for them.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Please, I would like these tubes removed, and then I really ought to put Asher out of his misery.”
Nick looked at her, his eyes roving over her face, like her thoughts were written there for him to read. Finally, he nodded. He got her to lie back down on her side, made her raise her top leg and had her breathe deeply while he removed the tubing under the blanket without looking. It was an odd tugging sensation indeed, followed by a pop, and then Nick was pulling it out from under the blanket. Melody looked away, she didn’t want to see it or think about it.
Nick chuckled, then sobered, “Okay, this one is going to be quite unpleasant, it will likely trigger your gag reflex. I’ve got a bucket here in case, I just ask that you try to hold off until my hands are out of the way, yeah?”
He gently teased the pieces of tape holding the tubing to her face and chest, away from her skin. “How did you learn all of this?” she asked him, needing a distraction.
“I’ve been at the academy for a long time. I got bored, so I spent ten years or so volunteering in the clinic here. They know they can call on me if they get short handed, but most of the time, I just come in and observe the more unusual things.” He stroked a finger down her face. “Okay, I’m ready to pull. When I tell you to, I want you to take as deep a breath as you possibly can and hold it, then as soon as you feel me pulling, I want you to let it go as slowly as you can. I need you to keep breathing out the entire time, think you can do that?”
Melody nodded anxiously.
“Alright, breathe in then,” he told her, and she did, filling her lungs to capacity, even though it made the skin on her back stretch and ache. Then she felt him tugging the tubing out, and she allowed herself to slowly release it, feeling the relief as her taut skin began to relax. He was right, it did trigger her gag reflex, but because she was already breathing out, it wasn’t too hard to control. The worst bit was actually when it passed through her nose. It made her want to sneeze, shake her head and swat at flies, all at the same time.
She did sneeze, and cough, but that was the worst of it. Still, Nick held the bucket there for her for a moment or two, just in case. When she smiled at him through watery eyes, however, he put it down on the ground and dropped the tubing into it.
“Well, that’s that done, would you like to freshen up before you see him?” he asked.
“I probably should. Two weeks in bed, I must reek.”
Nick turned crimson. “Actually, I gave you several bed baths, you’re a little past fresh as a daisy, but there’s no way you have a two week funk lingering around you,” he said with a sheepish look.
“Oh, um. Thanks. I’ll probably just have a quick basin bath then, and put on some loose clothing, then I should be ready for him.”
“Okay, I’ll get rid of this and come back and check on you, alright? I’ll also make sure the wolf is fit to be seen. Two weeks of living as his wolf and he’s probably due for a bath or two himself.”
Melody laughed and he beamed at her, obviously pleased by her reaction. He helped her to her feet and dug out some sweats and underpants, but he didn’t pass her a bra. She realised that he was right not to, her back was too sore for her to wear one.
“I’ll grab one of Dean’s shirts for you, it’ll be nice and loose and will go a long way to calming his beast. As a bonus, it’ll piss off Asher too.”
Melody noticed that he called the shifter by name and not some epithet as the Apex were prone to do. Obviously, something had changed in their relationship while she had been unconscious.
In no time at all, she had freshened up and slipped into the soft clothing, Dean’s shirt had been left on her bed, and she slipped into it, grateful that she didn’t have to lift up her arms. The sleeves were so big, the holes practically dropped to her waist. She would have to be careful that she didn’t flash them all. Then again, she didn’t plan on raising her arms either, it would rip open the fragile wounds on her back.
Out in the living area, they all sat waiting for her. She was surprised to see the provost, Mrs Hardinger, Professor Whitlow—her history teacher—and Mr Phelps. She should have expected them. Of course this couldn’t be a private thing, not now that there had been a complaint.
Even when she wasn’t here, Shawna was interfering in their lives. Melody suspected that any future bonds she made would need to be well-witnessed, at least until she’d proven herself with a couple of standard challenges. Not that it would be anytime soon. Inwardly she rolled her eyes. No, once they all understood what kind of monster she was, she would never have a familiar again.
Melody sighed. “I guess he’d better come in,” she said dejectedly.
Mrs Hardinger stood up. “Melody, this doesn’t have to happen. If you don’t want to accept his challenge, then you don’t have to. We can help him through this until his wolf is ready to start looking for another witch. You’re not obligated to bond him.”
“Yeah, I kinda am. I wish I could explain it,” she paused and pointed over her shoulder to the gashes in her back. She hadn’t asked Nick how many there were, she didn’t really want to know.
“Does the shifter know that?” asked Professor Whitlow.
Melody looked at her, surprised. “I don’t know. I can’t tell him.”
“May I do so then?” the professor asked.
“No!” shouted Melody, nodding her head frantically.
“I’ll go and get him,” said the provost. “I’ll make sure that he’s fully prepared to challenge you.”
She went out the door and Melody could hear her talking to Asher. There was a rumble as he responded to her, and then the provost talked for a little longer. Eventually the two of them came in. Asher looked at her with worry on his face, but he stood proud.
“Melody, of Bestia Coven, I challenge you,” he said, firmly. Then he undressed and quickly shifted into his wolf.
Conscious of the wounds on her back, and the gaping holes at the sides of her shirt, Melody raised her hand as little as she could get away with. “Shift,” she commanded, pushing her magic at him. Instantly he fell to the floor on his hands and knees.
“It’s official then, Ms Bestia. It seems that the Goddess has blessed you with two familiars.” She looked around the room. “At least two.”
“We will continue with our sessions twice a week, Melody. Two cocks can be quite the handful,” chortled Mrs Hardinger.
Melody’s jaw dropped, and the provost rolled her eyes, but Professor Whitlow sn
iffed, offended. Mr Phelps, however, threw back his head and roared with laughter, startling them all.
“Has it helped, Melody?” asked the provost, and all eyes turned back to her.
Melody thought about it for a moment, trying to assess her back. “I don’t think so, it might not be burning as much?”
“May I?” asked Nick.
Well, this was awkward. Melody nodded and then clutched her arms to her chest. Nick lifted her shirt to rest on the back of her neck, and then gently teased back the edges of the dressing.
“Oh goddess help her!” exclaimed Mrs Hardinger, and everyone rushed to see.
Melody sighed, when she thought about it, she still had a lot more privacy than the men had when they shifted back to their human forms. She just wished that she could be as casual about it all.
“Sorry Mel, it looks like it hasn’t made any difference at all,” Nick told her.
“Well, it was two weeks since the bond was broken, plenty of time for the curse to get a hold and do some damage. Has there been any sign of healing before now, Nicholas?” asked the provost.
“No, Ma’am. Unless you count the reduction of bleeding as healing, but that has been because she has been kept still.” He carefully reapplied the dressing, smoothing it over the unmarked part of her shoulder.
“I could see bone,” whispered Mrs Hardinger, shocked.
“Yes, Mrs H, there are several places where Melody’s ribs have been exposed,” Nick told her.
Melody winced, okay, so maybe this one was a bit worse than the worst beating she had ever had. Nick came and stood beside her, pulling her to him gently.
“Very well, Nicholas, you will continue to tend to Melody, and report your findings to me daily. I need to know if she’s healing. If not, we may need to call in outside help to try and lift the curse from her,” said the provost.
Nick nodded.
“Again, ladies and gentlemen, this is confined to my office for discussion. We will depart now and leave you to it. Melody, Asher will stay here with you from now on, as one of your bonded shifters. I will leave it up to the three of you to sort out the sleeping arrangements.”
The provost and the other staff members swept out of the door, while every shifter there stared at her. She knew what they were thinking, would Melody allow one of the shifters to sleep with her, or would she force them to share a room. It was really an awkward situation.
Melody knew that trying to force the two men to share a room would be a disaster as long as they couldn’t stand each other. One of them would end up on the couch, and there would be constant fights over who got to use the space to change, and who got into the shower first. But inviting one of them into her bed sent a message that she didn’t want to send, no matter how practical it was.
She was half tempted to invite Asher to share her bed, because she couldn’t stand him and he’d learn quickly that he had absolutely no chance to take things further with her, no matter how hard his beast was pushing him. However, to do that would be a snub to Dean, who had stood by her through so much already.
Inviting Dean to her bed would likely encourage him to try to pursue a sexual relationship with her, something that she didn’t want fogging her brain when his life was still on the line. It was the lesser evil of all the choices she had, however, so she took the plunge.
Just as she opened her mouth, Dean took the initiative. “I’m moving in with Mel, he can have my room,” he announced, striding to the other door and entering.
Ryan and Oz were right behind him, and all three of them came out with armfuls of clothes, striding into her room where she could hear them moving things around and putting his clothes away.
“And you’re fine with that?” snarled Asher, walking up to her until they stood, chest to chest. Off to one side, one of the dragons growled.
“Actually, I am. I was just about to propose it, so it works for me. The two of you couldn’t possibly share a room without fighting, neither of you will fit on the couch, and choosing you over Dean would be rude to him. Besides, it’s just a place to rest, I’m not offering him anything else,” she told him firmly.
“You don’t have to offer it to him for him to take it,” Asher growled.
With a flick of her finger, Melody pushed him backward until he was pinned against the wall. “And I’m hardly defenseless.” The lesson was blunt, but much needed. If she let them, these two shifters would walk all over her, and the others wouldn’t be far behind.
“It’s the most reasonable solution to an awkward problem,” Trent said from one side, and Melody startled. He was always so still that she forgot he was there, despite his tall stature.
“Who the fuck asked you?” spat Asher from the opposite side of the room, and something in Melody snapped. She rounded on him, walking up to him and prodding his chest with her finger.
“You chose me, Asher, you had your opportunity to change your mind out there, you were warned, but you still chose me. So let me make something very clear, I won’t tolerate your arrogant bullshit, not one iota of it. You need to straighten your face and be civil to my friends, or I’ll make your life a living hell—and believe me, I know ways to do it that would make your wolf beg for mercy and leave not a single mark on your skin.”
She had to give him credit, he didn’t back down, but he paled. Good, let him be frightened of her, because she was a fucking monster, and was definitely worth his fear.
7. Nick
Mel’s newest wounds weren’t closing as fast as he would have liked, but at least now they were showing some signs of healing. Her earlier wounds were now almost completely gone, they were certainly sealed and scabbed at the very least, but these five scores were like nothing he’d ever seen.
They weren’t infected, which was a blessing from the Goddess. Two weeks of open wounds should have seen her covered in weeping sores, but there wasn’t a sign of anything other than the injury itself. Nick suspected a protective spell. If he was reading her aunt right, she would want Melody cowed but not dead. Weakened and malleable, but still able to do what her aunt sought.
He had lived for hundreds of years, but never had he seen anything like the kind of abuse that Melody was being subjected to. Well, at least on family members. He had seen people treat their slaves and enemies like this.
It spoke a lot about how her aunt saw her.
All of the shifters had noticed the distinct lack of kinship in her letters to Melody. It was like a ruler deigning to write to a peasant. Melody’s home life could not have been pleasant. He wondered if he would ever get to find out all of the horrors locked away in her sad eyes. When she spoke of all the dead shifters she’d had as familiars, her pain was a palpable, living thing. He could see how much it distressed her.
And then she shut down. Her posture turned in on itself, the light went from her eyes, and the life went from her voice. It was like she was retreating from him, and he didn’t know what to do about it. It was driving his dragon nuts.
Nick? sent Justin.
Yeah?
Conference in the living room. Dean says she’s asleep. He’s coming out.
Nick stood from where he had been sitting on the front steps and came quietly back inside. The others were already gathered there, except for Dean who was just sneaking out of Mel’s room.
He couldn’t believe that Mel had only bonded the asshat, Asher, yesterday afternoon. Already he was acting like lord of the manor, the only one he even vaguely listened to was Dean, although of course he followed all of Mel’s directives to a tee. Not that she was the kind of witch to order shifters around. Nick liked that about her.
“How’s she healing?” asked Oz
Dean looked expectantly at him, startling him. He had thought that the lion would have answered, Dean and the asshat were the ones who could feel her pain.
“It’s happening, but not as fast as I would like. Is she drawing strength from either of you at all?” he asked them.
Dean shook his head but A
sher shrugged. “We need to know, Asher. If she isn’t, then we need to encourage it. She could actually be healing faster if she drew strength from you both. With everything going on, I want her at her strongest by the time the school year ends, because who knows what the fuck she’s going home to.”
Asher glared at him. “I’m not the only one holding back. What the fuck is that shit on her back? Who did it?”
“You did, you cunt, and I’m going to make sure you pay for it for the rest of your fucking life!” growled Dean, and the two of them stood up, standing chest to chest as they growled at each other.
Nick pulled them apart. “Keep it down you two, she needs to rest.” He turned to the wolf. “Sit the fuck down, Asher, we’ll tell you what we know, but I doubt that it’s more than you know right now.”
He drew in a deep breath and thought about all the little snippets that he had caught, and all the conclusions he had drawn. Where to begin, though?
“There are some things that I can’t tell you, the things we promised that would not be spoken outside of the provost’s office.”
“I was there for that, dipshit,” snarked Asher.
“So fucking help me …” muttered Ryan.
“Not the first time,” Nick corrected him. “When Dean bonded her, that bitch Shawna, your best buddy, protested, said that Mel cheated. It was a bit like your bonding.” Nick cleared his throat, finding his collar suddenly constricting, and then he realised it was the promise that the provost had extracted from him. He was getting too close to the things he wasn’t allowed to talk about. Nick was strong enough to break the binding, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to betray the provost, who would certainly know that he had, and he didn’t want to break his word for an asshat like Asher.
“So where are they coming from?”
“They’re geas marks from her coven. There’s something bad going on there, and we’re trying to help her out of it. She’s trapped for now, and as long as she is, so are you.”